Hot-water bottle.



Patented O@t.12,1915.

fin'inessea':

lnzlenlanx W/LL/AM M/JL COL/W BROWN.

fitter/lay WILLIAM MALCOLM BROWN, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOT-WATER BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,305.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM MALCOLM- BROWN, a subject of George V, King of "England, residing at Cambridge, county of Middlesex, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hot-Water Bottles, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to hot water-bottles 1 and particularly to an attachment for localizing the application of the heat of the contained fiuid.- In hot water bottles as usually constructed, no provision is made for localizing the application of the heat upon the aifected part. Where the affected part is inaccessible or. where an internal application is desired, it has been practically impossible to'get anything like a satisfactory heat-application. Where the affected part is accessible but only of comparatively small area it has been necessary in applying the heat to it to cover not only the part affected but also the adjacent parts of the body. This was not onlyinconvenient and uncomfortable but often resulted in the burning of-the portions adjacent the affected part.

To the end therefore of providing an attachment for a hot water bottle which will 4 localize the application of the heat, I have devised my present invention. In it I employ a localizing applicator which may be placed in positive communication with the liquid reservoir of the hot water bottle or may be detached to permit the hot water bottle to be used in the ordinary manner.

This localizing applicator is preferably in o vides fordisplacingthe contained fluid in I the localizing container as it cools OE and refilling with liquid of higher temperature from the main reservoir.

The construction and principle of my. in-

vention will be more fully disclosed in the specification which. follows. In the drawingsforming a part of that specification, I have shown as an illustrative embodiment a localizing attachment and several forms of connection therefor which I have found sat. isfactory in practical use.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are correspondingly applied and in these drawings:

Figure l is a partial elevation of a hot water bottle equipped with a heat localizing applicator in accordance with my invention, the mouth of the bottle being broken away to illustrate a preferred form of connection between the main liquid reservoir and the applicator. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the localizing container detached. Fig. 3 is a view at right angles to Fig. 2 and showing the container in vertical section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section of the tubular connection shown in Fig. 1 which places the main liquid reservoir and the localizing container in direct communication, and showing a slightly modified form of container. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a slightly modified form of connection, and container.

Fig.

I have indicated at 1 a portion of the main a neck 2 and an outwardly flared mouth 3.

The neck 2 is lined with an internally threaded sleeve 4 into which, when the device is used as an ordinary hot water bottle, a threaded stopper (not shown) is adapted to be threaded to close the delivery opening. When it is desired to localize the heat application, an externally threaded tubular connecting member 5 is threaded into the sleeve 4. This connection places the reservoir 1 into direct communication with a localizing applicator which is preferablyin the form r of a relatively small fluid container 15 hav-. ing detachable engagement with the member 5 by means of its depending-nipple 14 and headed extension 13 on said connecting member. The connection 5 isprovided with a key. 6 adapted to be grasped'between the thumb and forefinger to thread the member 5 into and out of the sleeve 4. The key 6 is normally disposed within the flared mouth 3 when the member 5 is screwed home. (See Fig. 1.)

stead terminates abruptly as shown.

In order to make .the connection 5 positively water tight at the delivery opening of the container 1 the lower end of this member is turned in at 7 to provide a flat annular seat, then downwardly as indicated at 8 and finally back outwardly upon itself as indicated at 8 These bends define an annular recess in which is inserted and clamped a compressible joint in the form of a rubber gasket 9 and a superimposed metallic washer 10. This form of joint is obviously capable of variation however, and in Fig. 5 I have shown a slight modification. In that form the lower end of the member 5 is turned in at 7 and down at 8, as in the form illustrated in Fig. 4. The flange 8 is not bent back upon itself however but in;

flanged tube or grommet 12 is inserted in the delivery opening of the member 5 and finds bearing against the bottom edge of the flange 8. The upper end of the tube 12 has an outward flare and lies snugly against the inner face of the flange 8, being compressed down onto the seat 7 soas not to be detachable from the member 5. In the annular recess defined by the portions 7 and 8 and the flange 12 of the tube 12 are seated and clamped a rubber gasket 9 and a metallic washer 10-, as in Fig. 1.

The connection 5 is formed at its opposite end with a hollow restricted extension 13 having a head over which fits the depending nipple 14 of the localizing container 15. Thiscontainer 15 is of relatively small area and capacity as compared with the main reservoir 1. It is placed in direct communication with said reservoir by the hollow connecting member 5. The container 15 may be of any desired material but is preferably of rubber having an insulating covering piece 16 on one side so as to prevent burning of the body from an application of too intense heat. The container 15 presents alocalized and sustainable application of heat and being of considerably smaller area than the container 1 is capable of application in many places where. the container 1 could not be used.

When the temperature of the water in the localizing container lowers it is often desirable to replace it with water of a higher temperature. The water which has cooled off in the container 15 may be-displaced and returned to the main reservoir by a simple pressure on either container. This pressure is effective to partially empty the container and cause a partial interchange of the container fluid from one reservoir to the other. In use, when it is desired to localize the rwaoea heat application the connection 5 is screwed home into the sleeve 4 until the rubber gasket 9 seats on the seat provided by the inturned flange 17 on the lower end of the sleeve 4. The contained fluid in the reservoir 1 is now free to flow into the smaller container 15 through the passage afforded by the tubular connection 5. When it is desired to use the device as an ordinary hot water bottle the member 5 is unscrewed and an ordinary stopper is threaded into the sleeve 4. I

Various modifications in the form, size and material of the containers 1 and 15 and in the type of connection 5 between said containers may obviously be resorted to within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

- .1. A thermal applicator comprising a local reservoir of limited capacity and a main reservoir of thermally dominating capacity, each reservoir constructed to form an applicator, said reservoirs being in communication and said main reservoir including a discharging element operative to efl'ect an interchange of content between said local and said main reservoirs. v

2. A thermal applicator comprising a local reservoir of limited capacity and a main reservoir of thermally dominating capacity, each reservoir constructed to form an applicator, said reservoirs being'in communication and said main reservoir including a compressible wall eflective to merge the content of the local reservoir in the content of the main reservoir and recharge said local reservoir with a new charge of the thermal character of said main reservoir content.

3. A thermal applicator comprising a local reservoir of limited capacity having a communicating opening and a main reservoir of thermally dominating capacity having a filling opening, each reservoir constructed to form an .applicator, and a coupling member having detachable engage- 

